Snowberry

 

I have become rather obsessed about making wall hangings, it's the perfect way to show off beautiful printed fabrics. 

Here's one I made a while ago featuring the lovely Lumimarja print designed by Erja Hirvi from Marimekko (which we bought back in 2012, yikes). This comes in many colourways but we chose the grey/yellow/white version.

Any excuse to use the staple gun really =)

Nani Iro Spotty Spring Scarf

Mostly, we try to be sensible and not splurge too much. But I confess, there are some things that I don't think twice about:
1) Gigs - anyone else excited about the pairing of Joe Pernice of Pernice Brothers and Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub?
2) Fabrics. Too much is never enough.

(Un)fortunately, Elmo is an excellent enabler, so we recently splurged on Marimekko lovelies at Kiitos (more on this later) and a bit of this Nani Iro Pon Pocho print from Patchwork on Central Park, (closing soon to make way for a second Scarlet Jones, make sure you drop in and snap up some lovelies for yourself!). 

This bright and happy fabric is lovely and soft, perfect for a spring scarf. I simply cut along the grain, and hemmed in on all sides. The lady in the shop also suggested that I could leave some edges frayed which I will try on a second version.

But first, this is on its way to Ms E who is now mum of two - congrats eky and mr a, and welcome little s.k.h =)

happy 2012!

Happy new year! may you work less and play more in 2012!

We sweltered in glorious 40degC+ scorching heat over the holidays, and being a sensible person, i took this time to knit =p. luckily, this week we tipped back towards the wintery weather (thanks melbs). i was very grateful to have this scarf...just in time for january (!?).

this wool is from avril in kyoto, and it is the most vibrant, orangiest, orange colour. this pic doesn't quite show off the brightness of this gorgeous yarn. thanks mum for sharing knitting secrets and expertise.

The pattern comes from this awesome book, which contains clear instructions and photos for the knitting newbies. Godsend!

Below is the last of the 2011 softies, the ever reliable miss polly pattern for dr k's newest family member. this sweet 1930s style fabric is from Patchwork By Sea in RADelaide.

we've been spring-cleaning a bit around here, and happened upon elmo's old teddy. look at the love in this little guy...

i hope all the softies going out there become this battered and worn out.

advice from a craft genius

do you ever feel that you don't have enough hours in the day? that you don't own your own time? i read this post by aunty cookie who made the pertinent point that you actually choose how to spend your time.

regrettably, i'm one of those annoying people she talks about, who wonders why they don't have time to do things. work vs family? vs friends? vs crafting? vs reading-a-book-for-goodness-sake**! vs life admin? (aunty cookie would definitely disapprove in this department - mmm, change subject!)

case in point: elmo's got heaps of work too, but recently, he baked lemon madeleines for the first time (just imagine that our cupcake tins are shaped as madeleines =) ). these are a much more enjoyable end point than, say, the lame-oh choice of working longer hours.
totally delicious elmo, thank you!

how shameful i feel. so no more complaining, my fault for choosing how to fill the day. but it's time to get tough with those hours!

in an effort to redress this, i made a quilt to welcome a lovely new bub, mr s, to the world via sunny brisvegas. after piling on every cute new fabric in the stash, i exercised some restraint and kept it simple.
Besides, I had to include this awesome animal origami fabric from Ikea.

And hooray, I have mastered the mitered corner (yeah yeah i'm slow)! I used a ruby red bias tape from Bird Textile (found at Wilkins and Kent) to bind the quilt, and all other fabrics are from Ikea or the lovely folks at Patchwork by the Sea in Adelaide.

congrats dr e and p! and welcome mr s, we're looking forward to meeting you.

ps: and yes, i WILL make time for more projects.
** i have read (a MEASLY) one book this year: Zadie Smith's, Changing My Mind. Does it count if it's a collection of essays as opposed to a complete narrative? Sigh.

Listening: 60 Second Idea To Improve the World podcast, BBC world service.

vivid 2011

i guess this might be sacrilegious being a melburnian and all, but sydney - what a beautiful city!

we went to the opening weekend of sydney's vivid festival to catch Jason Pierce/Spaceman 3/ Spiritualized perform their wonderful Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space album in full - strings, choir, band - the whole deal. awesome!
light shows, i thought? meh! this photo does no justice to the absolutely stunning creations by Superbien beamed onto the Opera House sails. and there were fantastic interactive installations all over circular quay. even the most hardened cynics (er, perhaps myself, elmo less so) were super impressed!

and of course, what holiday is complete without adding to the stash, first: this beautiful bunch of lovelies from Leura in the Blue Mountains.**
and secondly, more japanese books from kinokuniya.
** this blog was intended as a means of creative discipline, so i hope to post completed projects soon and not just that which fuels my fabric/book obsession! (but seriously, aren't they cute?)

thai dye

when travelling:
the first thought is for the stomach - what to eat? where to go? what to try?
second thought - maybe some countryside scenery or some cultural insights?
third thought - what stationery can i get my mitts on! (donut shaped tape dispenser anyone?)

this last trip, a new one: unrestrained fabric frenzy craziness.

check. it. out.now, this fabric buying thing is not new. i randomly buy fabric at home all the time, but overseas? that's space that could be filled with FOOD (we lugged home SO many jams and preserves from Paris last time, so YUM) or cute notebooks!

in thailand, something un/clicked in my brain and i gleefully bought ~25 yards of fabric.
at least.
isn't that crazy.
half my suitcase thanks.

here is a small bit of the stash:
can't wait to get stuck into them!

these lovelies are from Khomapastr Fabrics in Hua Hin, a coastal resort town in Thailand (there are also branches in Bangkok). Just behind the shop, the Khomapastr textile factory in Hua Hin has been screenprinting all these gorgeous fabrics by hand since 1948.

(...wish i had chosen a few more... =) )

ps: elmo's travel obsessions: drawing pens and, er, pork floss! do you have any travel obsessions?